Who is Rosanne Haggerty

Rosanne Haggerty is a leading creator of solutions to homelessness.

A committed social service champion and determined leader, Rosanne applies her expertise in real estate, finance, management, and strategic planning to address the unique challenges of housing low-income or otherwise disadvantaged urban residents.

Rosanne conceived and founded Common Ground in New York City. This ingenious and highly effective not-for-profit housing development and management organisation provides innovative housing opportunities for homeless people. The Common Ground model has been successfully adapted worldwide.

Her flagship restoration projects, converting two decaying hotels in the heart of Manhattan into more than 1,000 attractive living spaces for homeless and low-income tenants, are not only important historical restorations, but also bold experiments in financing, developing, and managing residences. 

Common Ground’s first residential project, the restoration and conversion of the historic Times Square Hotel in New York into 652 residential flats combined low income workers and the formerly homeless with public areas and retail spaces in the building, connecting residents to the wider community. 

A broad tenant mix in affordable housing such as students, artists, low wage workers and the formerly homeless, appropriate and optional support services, functional, attractive and well designed properties and attentive on site management have all been shown to be key in creating successful supportive housing.

In addition to her role as executive director of Common Ground, Rosanne serves as a trustee of Amherst College and the Folger Shakespeare Library, a director of the Times Square Business Improvement District and of the Dwelling Place Women's Shelter, and a board member of New York City's Citizens Housing and Planning Council and of the Center for Urban Community Services.

Rosanne is an Ashoka senior fellow (2008) and a MacArthur fellow (2001); she has received the Peter Drucker Award in Nonprofit Innovation (1999) and the Rudy Brunder Award for Urban Excellence (1997). 

A graduate of Amherst College, Rosanne is currently completing a PhD in sociology at New York University.